Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-15
HIS GHOST STILL RIDES.
STONEwALL JACKsON's SHADE
ON HORS EBACK.

Clifford w. Anderson-An Unpub-
lshed Incident in Gen. Jackson's
Early Life.
Some ten days ago several Georgia pa
pers published ghost story which pre-
tended to be an account of the appear
ance of Gen. Stonewall Jackson's shade
at the old Military Institute, at Lexing-
ton, Va. A number of persons were re-
ported to have declared positively that
they had seen the spook ride up to the
sally port and after being halted by the
sentinel on guard gallop noiselessly
away.
The details OF the story as told were
quite minute and it appears that good
many superstitious folks believed it.
Col. Clifford W. Anderson, Assistant
Postmaster In this city, clipped out one
OF the accounts and sent it TO Gen. Fran
els III. Smith, the distinguished scientist,
erudite scholar and venerable Superin-
tendent of the Virginia Military Institute.
Col. Anderson, OF course, did not believe
the report, but being a graduate of the
Institute and an ex-President of the
Alumni Society, he knew Gen. Smith
would be interested in the story.
GEN. SMITHS LETTER.
The General has been the head of the
| institution for nearly fifty years and was
it's Superintendent when Maj. Thomas j.
| Jackson was professor there. 1t was
UPON Gen. Smiths recommendation that
Mai. jackson was given his first COM
mand as Colonel.
| The Institute, although a State institu
ton, receiving an annual appropriation
| of $50, 000 now numbers Its graduates
| North, East, South and West, and has re-
Gently received a legacy under the will
| of the late Hon. Asa Packer, OF Pennsyl-
vania.
Gen. Smith, In replying to Col. Ander-
| son, gave an interesting incident in the
| life Of Stonewall Jackson, which it is be-
| lieved has never before been published.
After acknowledging the receipt of Col.
Anderson's letter inclosiDg the slip in
reference to the ghost story, he says:
THE GHOST STORY A MYTH.
Gas you very properly concluded, the
whole story Is myth, although / am not
surprised at the ways in which traditions
of our distinguished professor, Gen.
Stonewall Jackson, are talked over and
magnitied until they assume in youthful
imaginations the mythical form of the
ghost story. Even now as incredible as
the whole story is, there are some among
the older heads who really believe it, and
l heard yesterday OF an old man who
seriously affirmed its truth, and added:
There's no mistake about it. | saw old
Stonewall ride through the sallyport with
my own eyes, Well, with such credu-
lous people, it is of no use to reason, and
we have only to let them enjoy their
Authorizations.
"Letters come to me from every quar-
ter, chiefly from those who have some
faith in these visltations from the spirit
world.
AN INCIDENT IN JACKSON'S LIFE.
"The story recalls an interesting incl
dent in the life OF Stonewall jackson
while Professor in the Virginia Military
Institute. About the time of the trial of
John Brown for murder at Harper's Fer
ry, and his attempt to capture the United
states arsenal located there. Gov. Henry
A. Wise received many communications
from different parts of tue country max
ing known purpose on the part of the
sympathizers with John Brown to make
an assault upon the arsenal located at
the Virginia Military Institute, in which
were deposited 10000 State muskets, the
whole being guarded by the cadets of the
Institute. The Governor deemed it wise
to adopt precautionary measures. He
directed the Chief of Ordnance to send up
to the Institute an extra supply OF ammu-
milton. Orders were given to me for eX-
ira vigilance on the part of the Cadet
Guard, and TO be careful against any at
tempt to carry the arsenal by coup dc
main.
PROTECTING THE ARSENAL.
"These precautionary measures were
not without their influence upon the
minds OF the young men, and older ones
were no less affected by the reports which
were prevailing. In the meantime letters
were addressed to me as superintendent
mol I.,fr L hny q urfn ~
the conspIrators to make an attack on
particular night. Notes of like character
were picked up on the road addressed to
parties who were supposed to be in SYM
psthy with the conspirators. OF course
excitement ran high in the Cadets bar
racks. Orders had been given for the
Cadets to sleep upon their arms duly
loaded with ball and buck, and a double
guard was posted around tie arsenal,
while patrols were established TO watch
and report what might be suspicious.
About IL o'clock ! was sent for by the
commandant OF the Cadets and promptly
went to the Cadets barracks. / found
every one on the alert, but the excite
ment was at fever heat among the Ca
diets, and all effort on the part of the CON-
mandant OF the Cadets, Col. Gilman, to
allay 1t seemed to be fruitless.
MAI. JACKsoN's PRESENCE.
lOuuu buhL Wullt Inc CduSl6 QHU
every confidence in Col. Gilman as a
brave and true soldier, who had distin-
guished himself in Mexico at the battle
of Palo Alto and Resaca, the prevailing
sentiment among the Cadets was that
they could all sleep more securely If
Mai. Thomas j.: jackson, then Professor of
Natural and Experimental Philosophy
and Artillery, was placed on duIv in the
barracks for the night. l was willing to
humor them in their wishes, and prompt
ly directed the officer OF the day to go
to Mai. Jackson's residence in Lexington
with an order to report TO me without de-
lay, prepared for special duty in the
emergency for the night. He promptly
reported TO me In full uniform with
sword and sasn. l said to him: major,
the Cadets are a little nervous at the re-
port of an attack on the arsenal tonight
and an attempt 10 carry it by coup de
main, and they think they will feel more
secure if you are placed on duty for the
night!
JACKsoN's REPLY,
'"Certainly. with pleasuren he prompt
ly replied; and taking his post in the
officer of the days room, he kept the
watch all night to the great qualification
and comfort Of the Cadets.
1.-THE nigh. was quiet one. or course
no attack YVES made, and Mai. jackson
was duly relieved at reveille, when he
Il Il. l. -